Community, Organising and Activism

Sex education and sexual behaviour

Yesterday I attended an excellent talk by Professor David Paton on sex education. In the talk he showed how high rates of teenage pregnancy and abortion have fallen significantly since 2008 despite significant public funding cuts of sex education from 2009 (there was a huge investment from 1999-2009).

Sex and relationships education (SRE) is not statutory as only LA secondary schools have to provide it. Parents have the right to opt-out and other schools can have a broad and balanced curriculum. The current policy suggests school must have regard to Government guidelines which includes links to sexual health services.

In recent years, there has been strong political pressure for statutory SRE, including in primary school from age 5, including faith schools and ending a parental opt-out.

From peer reviewed evidence there is little evidence to suggest that sexual health services reduces abortions or teenage pregnancies. The emergency birth control pill has no effect but can lead to increases in STIs. There is evidence that parental consent does not lead to more underage conceptions. Similarly there is no evidence that school-based SRE helps to reduce teenage pregnancy or abortion and very weak evidence on other measures (e.g. delaying sex) with some programmes making things worse. There is no evidence on impact of early SRE in reducing sexting or abuse.

There is no evidence to support statutory SRE, force primary schools to do SRE, end parental opt-outs or support school links to sexual health services. Parents and schools should consider appropriate ago material, the role of parents and the needs of particular pupils.

David Paton suggested 5 rules for good SRE in Catholic Schools. It should be easy for parents to see material and withdraw children with a culture of transparency. There is a difference between providing information about birth control and encouraging young people to use it. It should be explicit that no-one at the school will facilitate or promote contraception or abortion. Accurate information should be provided about the risks involved with sex but not in a scaremongering fashion and timing and quantity of information should also be considered.

The work of chastity project (chastityproject.com) is truly inspiring. Every year they reach hundreds of thousands of young people in the USA with a positive message about the virtue of chastity. Much of SRE depends on the message which is given out, and it is difficult to measure the impact of the message. Encouraging young people with a powerful message encouraging strong self-esteem and emotional virtue will help to create a generation who understanding the meaning and purpose of sexuality as a gift of self.